Chapter 86: The Restless King of the Undead

"This... this..." At the moment he saw the map, Mo Fangyuan's smile froze.

"This?!" He repeated the word three times, his expression dark and uncertain.

"Your Majesty, what is—crack!" Xiao Li beside him, curious, leaned in to look, and when he saw the scene on the map, the egg in his hand dropped to the ground and out tumbled the chick of a chicken-duck beast.

Thanks to Mo Fangyuan's efforts, every combatant in the Block Kingdom could read maps. Xiao Li clearly understood what the symbols meant.

"Damn!"

Mo Fangyuan had thought the Zombie King was a straightforward, decent fellow. Now it seemed... he was even less honest than the Skeleton King!

"Zombie King, damn your ancestors!"

Mo Fangyuan nearly erupted in curses. The map was covered with countless yellow house symbols, clustered densely along the rivers. They represented villages. One could imagine just how many block people lived in this region.

From the perspective of the block people of this world, this was a thriving area.

But all that was past tense.

Most villages on the map were marked with glaring red crosses, or the green zombie heads that symbolized zombie villages. Only a few remote areas still had tiny human settlements.

"Elder Village Chief, what happened here?" Mo Fangyuan swallowed the anger burning in his throat, forcing himself to ask calmly.

To his surprise, the old village chief burst into tears.

"This... this..." The old chief would never forget what he had seen that day; the terror of zombies was etched into his bones.

"It happened ten years ago..."

Ten years ago, this region was as the map depicted: abundant villages and block people. They lived and thrived here, working the land with their own hands.

There was deep camaraderie between villages; people could travel freely to any settlement.

"Our population reached over four hundred..."

The old chief spoke wistfully, every survivor of that era mourning its glory.

"In those days, we gained recognition from the world, and could establish the Block People Kingdom. Everyone was excited. If only we could choose the 'Child of Destiny' as king, we would become a true kingdom!"

"And so we began the quest for the 'Child of Destiny.' I was young then, full of passion, following my kin..."

"We thought the process would be long, but Mother Sun blessed us! In only half a year, we found her!"

"She was very young, but had steadfast courage and eyes of lively deep blue..."

"Most importantly, she could wield the Sword in the Stone!"

"Sword in the Stone?" Mo Fangyuan pondered this, but did not interrupt the chief's reminiscence; it would be rude.

"Everyone was delighted. The wisest village chief took her as a disciple, intending to teach her how to be a great king."

"She was so adorable and clever..."

"Everyone already saw her as the king, just waiting for her to come of age and ascend the throne as the first monarch..."

"But! But!"

The chief recalled the shadow of his life, his face twisted with terror.

"Zombies! Endless zombies! Swarming everywhere... and their king... the king..."

Mo Fangyuan wanted to interrupt, seeing the chief's distress, but he went on.

"They destroyed everything!"

Those were the darkest days in the lives of the chief and all survivors.

The Zombie King's body was grotesquely bloated, yet frighteningly powerful; each step brought tremors and wails to the earth.

He led his legion of terror and catastrophe out of the eastern Dark Forest.

The people fought desperately, but the war was hopeless; their monsters were too numerous, enough to consume every village.

Even worse, the dead warriors rose again as monsters, joining the horde.

Imagine—when your family, your beloved, your comrades—all turn into zombies and attack you... What despair is that?

The chief's tears fell one by one onto the dry soil.

"After that, our homeland was destroyed... so few of our people remain... Only a handful of hidden villages survive, and even our new king and wisest elder vanished..."

In these dangerous times, disappearance meant death.

The chief finished recounting the history of the region, choked with emotion.

His eyes were swollen, unable to shed another tear.

"What is the Sword in the Stone?" Old Li behind Mo Fangyuan asked curiously.

Mo Fangyuan was puzzled too—what kind of weapon was it?

"It is a sacred artifact of our tribe, a mighty sword forged from blue diamond... Its blade radiates a violet divine light... Even a gentle swing slays monsters instantly!"

"Isn't this an enchanted diamond sword... And it sounds like a super enchanted diamond sword... slurp!"

Mo Fangyuan was ravenous; no one would refuse such divine gear.

An enchanted diamond sword—always the best!

"But the Sword in the Stone disappeared during the Zombie King's invasion..."

Block Kingdom.

Residential Area, Unit One, Building Three.

"Grandpa..."

Lowe Alley crouched in the corner, clutching a small stone box tightly to her chest.

She was feeling quite miserable.

Because the month's ration of beef had been eaten up by her in a single day.

"This is nowhere near enough!"

In her own home, Alley shed her general's armor and revealed her girlish side.

Swallowing the last piece of roast lamb, she grew even more despondent.

Because now even the final piece of lamb was gone.

And it was only the start of the month!

Caressing the small stone box in her arms, Alley recalled a saying her grandfather had once spoken.

"Child, within this lies power, glory, and wisdom. But once you grasp it, your life will no longer belong to yourself; you will never have freedom again... That is responsibility."

"Child, Grandpa hopes you will always be healthy and happy... Though I know that is impossible..."

Thinking of her grandfather's murmured words to the stone box, Alley's slender golden hair drooped powerlessly.

Power, wisdom, glory, responsibility...

These things were such a headache!

She didn't want them! Not at all!

She only wanted to eat, drink, and play joyfully with her friends!

But...

Alley curled up tighter, her beautiful legs wrapped in white silk exposed to the air.

Her grandfather's passing, the destruction of the village, the massacre by monsters...

She had endured so much along the way.

Pressure crashed in from all sides, making it hard to breathe.

Many times, she had wanted to grasp the power inside, to become strong.

But life is precious, freedom is priceless!

She did not want to lose her freedom!

Once, she nearly opened the stone box, almost becoming the person she hated most.

But then he appeared, like sunlight shining beside her.

He took on her burdens and worries.

Though the weight and expectations he carried were heavier than hers.

He was so powerful, so wise, so profound...

Even without reward, he shielded everyone from the pressure without complaint...

"Damn, white silk, love it!"

"If only there were a sexy maid outfit..."

"I think I could touch her hair..."

"Could go for it..."

He sometimes said things she couldn't understand, but that didn't diminish her admiration.

"Grandpa, perhaps this power and responsibility should belong to His Majesty..."

The king willingly bore the people's burdens; it was only right that he gain the power!

Alley thought to herself.

(Please recommend!)